


Hats, Life, And The Variances of Rachel Brooks

by Axis2ClusterB



Category: Justified
Genre: Gen, pre-slash (Raylan/Tim)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-14
Updated: 2012-11-14
Packaged: 2017-11-18 15:25:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/562542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Axis2ClusterB/pseuds/Axis2ClusterB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Raylan will admit that it's quite possible he's too drunk for this, and he should just be glad for the invite.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hats, Life, And The Variances of Rachel Brooks

The thing with him and Rachel is a ‘two steps forward and three steps back’ issue, is what Raylan is afraid of. It’s been that way since the night she slid the hat off his head and onto hers, drove along with a little grin on her face that she didn’t think he saw. Of course, Raylan being himself and all, he had to be a smartass and ruin a perfectly good icebreaker and, as a result, he has been pretty firmly on the outside of the ‘Tim and Rachel thing’ since then.

He does realize, however, that it’s entirely possible that he’s too drunk to ponder hats, life, and the variances of Rachel Brooks through the comfortable numbness of four and a half whiskeys as he leans against the bar, watches Tim and Rachel argue about who was responsible for the first striped ball hitting the pocket – it was Tim, but he’s pretty sure his opinion wouldn’t be welcomed. He should damn well just be grateful for the invite to an after work Friday night drink or three tossed his way – by Tim – as he and Rachel made their way out of the office; already looser, more relaxed, dropping the hard consonants on the end of their words. Raylan was honestly surprised to hear himself say yes, but he’s not surprised that it’s led to a world of discomfort, propping up the bar and finishing up that fifth bourbon while he watches Tim and Rachel fuss like siblings and tries to act like he’s actually with them.

If he were being honest, he’d admit that he’s way more invested with the way that Tim _moves_ than in the outcome of the pool game. Something changed when Tim was about four beers in, some loosening of his hips and relaxation of his neck that Raylan is trying very hard to avoid by pondering the prickliness of his relationship with Rachel – very prickly, and all his fault as of yet.

He shakes it off, turns back to the bar and gestures for another whiskey that he doesn’t need, turns back and finds himself face to… well, chest to face… with Rachel, and Tim nowhere in sight.

“I don’t get you boys,” Rachel says, perching on a barstool just to Raylan’s right. “I’ve watched you watching each other all night and looking for all the world like you have no idea the other’s even in the place.”

Raylan sways to follow her, gets his elbow up onto the bar just in time to avoid an ungraceful collision with it – he thinks, although by the look on Rachel’s face, the move wasn’t as smooth as he thought it was. “I don’t know what you mean, Deputy Brooks,” he starts, but before he can even get to the part about only having eyes for her, she’s giving him a look that says quite plainly that she ain’t buying whatever he’s selling.

“Please,” she says, ordering two shots of Knob Creek and downing hers while Raylan’s still staring at his, contemplating death by liver failure or the continuing surprising nature of Rachel Brooks. “Look, cowboy, I’ll do you a favor,” she finally says. “I’ll play along with whatever eight grade bullshit it is that the two of you are doing, and then when you finally ‘come to your senses,’ I’ll pretend to be surprised. In the meantime, I’ll even steer him your way. That work for you?”

Raylan feels the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, plucks his hat from the gleaming surface of the bar and plops it onto Rachel’s head. “That works just fine,” he says. 

-End


End file.
